Following Fish: Travels Around The Indian Coast

In a coastline as long and diverse as India's, fish inhabit the heart of many worlds—food of course, but also culture, commerce, sport, history and society. Journeying along the edge of the peninsula, Samanth Subramanian reports upon a kaleidoscope of extraordinary stories.

In nine essays, Following Fish conducts rich journalistic investigations: among others, of the famed fish treatment for asthmatics in Hyderabad; of the preparation and the process of eating West Bengal's prized hilsa; of the ancient art of building fishing boats in Gujarat; of the fiery cuisine and the singular spirit of Kerala's toddy shops; of the food and the lives of Mumbai's first peoples; of the history of an old Catholic fishing community in Tamil Nadu; of the hunt for the world's fastest fish near Goa.

Throughout his travels, Subramanian observes the cosmopolitanism and diverse influences absorbed by India's coastal cities, the wthdrawing of traditional fishermen from their craft, the corresponding growth of fishing as pure and voluminous commerce, and the degradation of waters and beaches from over-fishing.

Pulsating with pleasure, adventure and discovery, and tempered by nostalgia and loss, Following Fish speaks as eloquently to the armchair traveller as to lovers of the sea and its lore.

By dint of both circumstance and choice, Samanth Subramanian is a journalist. He has an undergraduate degree in journalism from Pennsylvania State University and a Master's in International Relations from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. By preference, he gravitates towards the long-form, narrative version of journalism - waning today, but still rewarding and revealing to both writers and readers. His longer reported articles occupy the confluence of politics, culture and history, examining the impact of these forces upon life and society; his shorter pieces include op-eds, cultural criticism, and book reviews. He has written, among other publications, for Mint, the Far Eastern Economic Review, The Huffington Post, The New Republic, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, and The National.

"This is a travel book like no other -- inspired in its conception and marvelously skilful in its execution. Samanth Subramanian uses the production and consumption of fish to provide a series of arresting insights into the culture and ecology of the subcontinent. With vivid sketches of landscapes and waterscapes, the narrative is peopled by a rich cast of characters... The prose is elegant but never lush, the tone warm and sometimes tender. A stunning debut by a hugely gifted writer." - Ramchandra Guha